What Stretches Can Alleviate Pain from Sciatica?
If you are suffering from sciatica back pain, the last thing you should be doing is laying on your couch or remaining still for long periods of time. While rest can be helpful to alleviate back pain, it is just as essential to do safe exercise to keep your body strong.
Orthopedic & Laser Spine Surgery is a team of talented doctors with extensive experience helping patients recover from sciatica pain and many other types of neck, back, and spine pain. In your quest to alleviate your sciatica pain, some easy, at-home stretches can be helpful in your recovery process. Remember, before trying any stretching techniques. You should always consult with your back and spine doctor beforehand.
Four Easy Stretches to Alleviate Your Sciatica Pain
When you are experiencing sciatica pain, it can be easy to want to lay down and stay as still as possible to avoid the pain. However, an experienced back and spine doctor will tell you that is just about the worst thing you could do for yourself. Instead, try these stretching techniques for a few minutes a day to help strengthen your muscles and alleviate your pain.
Knees to Your Chest
To do this stretch, begin by laying on your back with all of your limbs fully extended. Then, follow these steps:
- Exhale and bring your knees up to your chest, holding them there by wrapping your arms around them.
- Flatten your back against the ground and lengthen your spine as much as you can without experiencing pain.
- Tuck your chin and gaze down the center of your body
- Hold this position for one minute, then, exhaling again, release your knees and stretch back out.
It is recommended that you repeat this stretch up to six times to maximize the benefits of this stretch.
The Cobra Stretch
Depending on your pain levels, there are two different ways to do this stretch. You can do the regular cobra stretch or the modified cobra stretch. The cobra stretch involves you laying face down on a mat and then while leaving your pelvis touching the mat, lifting your upper body up and slightly tilting your head back, so your forehead is pointed at the sky. For the modified version, everything’s the same, except you will only stretch your upper body out rather than lifting it.
Seated Spinal Twist
You will begin by sitting upright on your mat with your legs extended in front of you and your hands placed on your thighs for this following stretching technique. You will then bend one knee up to your chest, and with the opposite arm, twist your body away from your knee. After you do one side, repeat with the opposite leg and arm.
Standing Hamstring Stretch
To begin this simple stretch, slightly stretch out one leg in front of you, planting your heel on the ground. Bend your other knee slightly, bringing your abdominals in, and lean forward from your hips. Do not round your lower back when doing this stretch. Once you have done one side, switch to the other.
Experienced Back and Spine Doctors Can Help With Sciatica Pain
While stretches may help alleviate pain or prevent pain from returning, if your pain worsens or persists past a few weeks, then it may be time to seek the help of a doctor. A back and spine doctor will help identify what could be causing your pain and the best recovery plan for your case.
The award-winning doctors at Orthopedic & Laser Spine Surgery are well equipped to offer you the best treatment plan. Offering both non-surgical and minimally invasive surgical treatments, we are proud to offer our clients a variety of twenty different options to choose from as they seek recovery. For a free MRI review, contact us here or call (855) 853-6542.